In just over a year, his biography has been published by The Chess Drum after finishing production in March 2017. Release was delayed for months by a number of technical issues. The book covers his exciting 56-year journey and life as a chess artist. His passion for chess was truly inspiring. Triple Exclam was the culmination of an intense research effort on the life of Tate.

In the annals of attacking chess players, International Master Emory Tate built up a collection of stunning gems. Tate also showed his passion in describing these exciting battles as if acting in a stage play. With his clear, accelerated speaking style, melodramatic portrayals, quick wit and creative word play, he intrigued audiences and showed unequivocally that chess is not merely a game to be played, but an art form to be expressed. This book details the life and games of Tate over the course of his 56 years.

His contribution to chess lies not merely in his level of play, or even his scintillating victories, but in his creation of unique ideas and inspiring dreams. Somewhere on that chess board was beauty to behold, a new story to be told, and perhaps an idea that would touch the soul. Tate told many stories, many of which would reflect an adventurous, purposeful, yet troubled life. This story is of beautiful games, life lessons, mind-boggling conflicts and celebration of a man whose contributions will live on!

The Book

Triple Exclam is a hardback, full-color edition that includes 280 pages in 12 chapters and seven appendices surveying the life of Tate. It includes 35 of his games (all annotated) and vintage photos at various stages of his life. The book also includes chapter notes and is fully-indexed. If you are not a chess-player but enjoy biographies, you will appreciate his story.

The Foreword of the book was done by GM Maurice Ashley with annotations by GM Yasser Seirawan, GM Alejandro Ramirez, GM Pontus Carlsson, GM Amon Simutowe, GM Kenny Solomon, IM Malcolm Pein, FM William Morrison, FM Todd Andrews, FM Jimmy Canty and National Masters Ernest Colding, Glenn Bady and Dr. Okechukwu Iwu. Two games feature transcribed annotations from Tate’s famous post-mortems. A file of the Triple Exclam games will be sent to customers.

Triple Exclam: The Life and Games of Emory Tate, Chess Warrior(Previews)

Order Details

The highly-anticipated book can be purchased by following the Paypal button below. A Paypal account is not needed. Buying in bulk cuts per unit and mailing costs, so for groups of friends, chess clubs, and vendors seeking volume discounts (for the purchase of five or more), click here!

International rates are currently prohibitive unless ordering quantities in multiples of five (U.S. Postal Service flat rate box). The Chess Drum is looking for international distributors to make the book accessible to a wider audience. An e-book version of Triple Exclam is forthcoming.

Some customers many be skittish about ordering online. In that case, contact me at webmaster@thechessdrum.net with number of copies needed and I’ll send an invoice. Mail orders are completed with money orders only. Also available for book signings. Make sure you add this handsome book to your collection!

The Chess Drum, LLC is a publisher of chess news content and literature. The organization’s website has continued to demonstrate the universality of chess by covering a variety of topics through news stories, essays, interviews, and photos since 2001. Visit The Chess Drum at thechessdrum.net and follow the beat on Facebook and Twitter!

I have several book cases in my house that I look at each day. They are good to look at, but I would agree, that they are not the household force they used to be. You used to be able to walk into someone’s house and get an idea of their erudition.

You could copy the URL link and then paste it into your text app… or use the symbols at the bottom of the article. One looks like a chain link. You can click on that to copy the link of this article and then paste into your text app.

By the way, have you heard that physicist Sir Roger Penrose (brother of GM Jonathan Penrose) is compiling chess positions that computers struggle with and humans solve easily? For instance, he found a position that stockfish 8 evaluates as -28 after 5 minutes of analysis yet humans quickly find a way to draw or win as white.
A poster on the website said there was a game in the Carlsen-Karjakin World Championship where all the GM commentators could see a fortress coming from Karjakin but the computers couldn’t see it.

Daaim, It is an honor and plesaure to confirm my order. Thanks for the privilege to purchase this book about two men, a legand and the author (not just two African American men) but two great men who wish to inspire the world! What would it takle to have an author signed copy???
cpercy

On page 28, John Donaldson’s quote with “… didn’t definitely didn’t …” was taken directly from the source, but is obviously a typo on his site.

Photo on page 39 should be credited to Frank Johnson, not Jerry Bibuld.

On page 54-55, Shahade refers to “Jennifer” and not her brother “Greg”

page 61 has “sacrifing” which should be “sacrificing”

In Tate-DeFirmian (Game 7) on page 116, the note after 14…Be7 contains an error. The variation starting with 15…h6 is illegal. After 14…Be7 the variation should have been 14…exd5 15.exd5+ Be7 (15…Kd7 16.Qg4+ Kc7 17.fxg7) 16.fxg7+-

On page 222, “Grandmaster” Donald Byrne should be “International Master,” or “IM”

Fantastic, ‘magnificent’ product which will in time be duly recognized as a ‘magnum opus’!

~Ian Wilkinson, Jamaica Chess Federation

Retail Price: $40.00 (full color, hard back)

On March 11th, The Chess Drum announced the release of Emory Tate’s biography, Triple Exclam!!! The Life and Games of Emory Tate, Chess Warrior and the book has been warmly embraced by the chess community. The biography comes in the aftermath of Tate’s death October 17, 2015 when he was stricken by a heart attack during a chess tournament in California. He was 56.

Tate was an artful figure of chess throughout his playing career and enthralled fans with his charisma and signature tactical style. He also enjoyed postmortem sessions and was in his element in conducting them. The book actually transcribes two of these sessions making for colorful prose. Below are a few selections from Triple Exclam.

The Moon shone bright on a cold night in North Philadelphia. A lonely light cast a long shadow on the corner of 21st and Cambria, as the icy wind cut to the bone. Inside though, it was heated, as battle raged. WAR had been declared, as Philadelphia Chess Players celebrated the life and times of the preeminent Chess Master, IM Emory Tate, in the best way they knew how: in battle!!

The esteemed Dr. Daaim Shabazz, author of “The Chess Drum,” amongst many acclaimed accomplishments, “fired the first shots” with his splendid biography of IM Emory Tate, Triple Exclaim, The Life and Games of Emory Tate, Chess Warrior. Dr. Shabazz’s book chronicles Tate’s exploits from childhood through his eminent chess career, in which Tate toppled “Kings and Grandmasters alike”. There is an African proverb which goes: “So long as the hunter tells the tale, the Lion will remain the villain.”

African people have been making history “since God was a boy.” Now, more than ever, we”re beginning to write our own history in the struggle for control of our own image. The battles raged inside 21st and Cambria as eminent masters Glenn Bady, Glenn Umstead, Norman “Pete” Rogers, Robert Gist “Superman,” and Herb Carswell “The Master of Disaster,” along with preeminent chess player and promoter Gordon Houston, struggled for control of squares.

Laughter and beverage flowed like water. The food was plentiful as Bill Tate, Nigel Mitchell, Wayne Heston, Charles Leach the “Woo Mack,” and Bruce Cox “Scorpiin.” Why scorpion with two “i’s”?? The better to see you with! All present were making history in North Philadelphia as they were “writing it on the chessboard,” and the spirit of Emory Tate.

Pete Rogers was a frequent participant in gladiator battles with Tate.

Great interview at the US Championship. Ordered the book looking forward to reading. The game file would be great if possible, but I still love to Prop up the book and go over if not possible ( I saw it mentioned in comment above). Great Job

Just ordered the book. I hope you were able to include the early years in South Bend, IN. when Emory’s son began playing chess. I was the owner of the owner of Michiana Chess Club on Western Ave. in South Indiana. Emory was a good friend of mine. The highlight was a chess tournament we organized, the then reigning 1992 US Chess champion Patrick Wolff, Emory Tate, and several Grandmasters from Chicago attended.There are so many personal memories.

I think Emory was in South Bend in 1993-1994. A quick check of the USCF website shows that the 81-player South Bend tournament you’re talking about (held at the Michiana Chess Studio) was held May 22-23, 1993. The crosstable (is at http://www.uschess.org/msa/XtblMain.php?199305232690-10279470). This gigantic tournament ended in a four-way tie among Gregory Kaidanov, Dmitry Gurevich, Aleksander Wojtkiewicz, and Emory Tate (4½-½) followed by Patrick Wolff, Ben Finegold, Boris Men (and three others) at 4-1.

Apart from big events in New York, Philadelphia, or Chicago, this was the most chess talent assembled in one place that I’d ever seen!
Cheers,
Les Kistler

Thank you so much for the details. I certainly enjoyed organizing this tournament. Roger Blaine ran the tournament. I surprised myself getting such great chess players to attend. It was a highlight for South Bend, Indiana. Had local TV coverage. The Tate book arrived within a few days. Thank you so much.

Daaim,
I just received my copy of Triple Exclam!!! today in the mail. I have had time only to flip through it, but this book is obviously of labor of love. The production qualities of this hardcover book alone covers the cost of the book. I can’t wait to read Emory Tate’s story and see his games whom I only know through periodic glimpses in magazine stories and chess lore! As a chess player, a fan, a lover of chess history, a firm believer in preserving our chess stories and a collector of chess books – I can only say to anyone who relates to any of those interests in chess – this book should be in your library. Congratulations on a writing and producing a fine book and preserving the story of Emory Tate who was a larger than life character and player of note in the chess world.
Best Regards,
Kenneth Calitri
Mahwah, New Jersey

I was a bit disappointed the ordering procedure did not seem to include the discount when it computed the total cost for the 5 books that was the starting number required for the discount. What is the deal?

If you check again you will see that there is a separate process for volume discounts so I can apply the discount and the most appropriate shipping. PayPal does not allow volume discount by putting in a range of numbers. I would have to have a separate button for each value over “5”. Above you would have noticed,

FOR PURCHASING 5 OR MORE COPIES, click here!

When you click on the “here” link, you will get to a page specifically for volume discounts for 5+ copies. On that page it reads,

Send an email indicating the number of copies requested (five or more). You will receive an invoice within 24 hours with the amount, shipping, and sales tax (if applicable). If this sum is agreeable, then you will click on a link provided in the e-mail and you will be able to pay the amount of the invoice. Please specify in the e-mail if you want expedited shipping (Priority or Express). Otherwise the shipping estimate will be standard postage. Thanks!

Having had too many birthdays I look with jaundiced eye at most presents.

But son Master USCF Dane Mattson presented me with ‘ Exclaim !!! ”
Not only an attractive volume evoking memory of Emory Tate to those who knew him but in one place the inimitable games of Emory. Much MUCH work was clearly involved.

As personal bonus there are at least two pictures of friend Dr Oke Iwu strong supporter of Twin Ports (by Lake Superior ) Chess Club. and an analysis of the Dr playing against Emory’s Bird Opening by the Dr.
I would think this is a good volume for public libraries to possess .. who knows who might be inspired by it?

Eric Smith of San Francisco, California says, “Kudos to Dr. Daaim Shabazz and his fine new book “Triple Exclam!!!” on the life and games of the late, great International Chess Master Emory Tate, (with a forward by Grandmaster Maurice Ashley)… For those of us who got to see and hear the champion in action back in the day, this will bring a smile to your face; for the rest, it’s a welcome addition to the tomes of chess…”

Good morning Dr. Shabazz. I had a chance to examine the book “Triple Exclam” and consider it a must have for chess enthusiasts and collectors of chess literature. I am currently attempting to put together an order with other players here in Baltimore, MD. I was also wondering if you were planning to make an appearance at the scholastic Chess Supernationals in Nashville this week. I am bringing a team of six players and they would be honoured to meet you and GM Ashley! Thanks for all you do in the world’s of Chess and academics! Richard Thomas Chess coach at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute.

SD Faulkner of Louisville, Kentucky says, “This finally arrived in the mail today…
Another treasure added to my collection… Thank you Brother Daaim Shabazz,Ph.D. The Legend of International Master of Chess Emory Tate continues to live through this exemplary book!”

‘Triple Exclam’ by Dr. Shabazz is now part of my chess book collections.
~Guy Colas… White Plains, New York

Triple Exclam in Cape Town, South Africa at the Claremont Chess Club

“Because I enjoyed the game selection so much, this is my second time going through the book! Get a copy while supplies last! See Daaim Shabazz in person 6/10 at the 2nd Annual Emory Tate Memorial Tournament. You can get it now!! Or pay a heavy price on eBay once it’s out of print. Great Book people.”

Daaim I am enjoying your book tremendously, and I expect to keep re-reading it throughout my life. It is a well written fascinating character study, of a well written fascinating character.

I remember ET well, played against him, and always enjoyed his company when he was alive. I have learned so much more about him in this book. I highly recommend it not only to lovers of chess art, but anyone who enjoys biographies of remarkable individuals. Well done sir!